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ABSD for FTA Nationals

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The 5 FTA countries

CountryTreatyEligible
🇺🇸 United StatesUSSFTACitizens only (not PRs)
🇮🇸 IcelandEFTA–Singapore FTACitizens and PRs
🇱🇮 LiechtensteinEFTA–Singapore FTACitizens and PRs
🇳🇴 NorwayEFTA–Singapore FTACitizens and PRs
🇨🇭 SwitzerlandEFTA–Singapore FTACitizens and PRs

What FTA buyers pay

FTA-eligible buyers are treated as Singapore Citizens for ABSD purposes only. The ABSD rate becomes:

  • 1st residential property: 0% (same as SC)
  • 2nd residential property: 20% (same as SC)
  • 3rd or more: 30% (same as SC)

BSD is unchanged — paid at the standard tiered 1%–6% rate. The FTA does not exempt BSD because BSD is residency-neutral by design.

Worked example

A US citizen buying a $2 million condo as their first Singapore residential property:

  • BSD: $69,600 (tiered, paid)
  • ABSD: 0% (FTA election as SC) — saving $1,200,000 vs the 60% foreigner rate
  • Total stamp duty: $69,600

Without FTA election, the same buyer would pay $69,600 + $1,200,000 = $1,269,600.

How to claim — at stamping

  1. Your conveyancing lawyer logs into IRAS e-Stamping.
  2. Lodges the purchase document with an FTA election flag.
  3. Uploads supporting documents: passport copy showing citizenship, PR card (for EFTA PRs), declaration that this is the buyer's 1st residential property.
  4. IRAS reviews the FTA election before issuing the stamp certificate.
  5. If accepted, ABSD is charged at the SC rate; if rejected, foreigner rate (60%) applies and the buyer can appeal.

Joint purchase with a non-FTA spouse

When an FTA national is buying jointly with a spouse who is not FTA-eligible (e.g. an EP-holder spouse from a non-FTA country), IRAS applies the higher ABSD rate among the buyers. The FTA election covers only the FTA-eligible buyer's portion if the relevant household composition allows for apportionment — in practice, the foreigner spouse's 60% rate usually dominates. A clean FTA election usually requires the FTA national to be the sole buyer or for the spouse to also qualify under SC / SPR / FTA.

Related guides

Frequently asked questions

Which countries get ABSD exemption under Free Trade Agreements?▾

Five countries: United States (under USSFTA), Iceland, Liechtenstein, Norway, and Switzerland (collectively under the EFTA-Singapore Free Trade Agreement). For the United States, only citizens qualify — US Permanent Residents do not. For the four EFTA countries, both citizens and permanent residents qualify.

How much ABSD do FTA nationals pay?▾

0% on the 1st residential property in Singapore — the same as a Singapore Citizen. On the 2nd property: 20%. On the 3rd or more: 30%. The FTA only matches SC treatment; it does not provide an exemption from second-property ABSD.

How do I claim the FTA exemption?▾

Your conveyancing lawyer files an FTA election at the time of stamping via the IRAS e-Stamping portal. The election requires: (a) declaration of FTA national status, (b) documentary proof (passport copy, PR card for EFTA where applicable), and (c) statement that the property is the buyer's 1st residential property. Once accepted, ABSD is computed at SC rate.

Can a US Permanent Resident claim the FTA exemption?▾

No. USSFTA Article 15.1 grants national treatment to US citizens, not to US PRs (green card holders). A US PR who is not also a US citizen is treated as a foreigner for ABSD — 60% on every residential property.

Is BSD also exempted under FTA?▾

No. The FTA exemption only applies to ABSD. BSD (tiered 1%–6%) is paid at the same rate as for any other buyer. So a US citizen buying a $2M first home pays BSD $69,600 + ABSD $0 = $69,600, the same as a Singapore Citizen would.